Japanese language difficulties

Due to the difficult writing and vocabulary features, the Japanese language can become a stumbling block for even the most talented linguists. But now, it seems, the difficulties of the Japanese language are baffling even its speakers.

According to the National Institute of Multimedia Education, which tested 13 thousand first-year students at 33 universities and colleges, one fifth of students learned to read only by the age of 13-15.

Students were offered test texts and asked to identify nouns, adjectives and adverbs in them.

Two-thirds of those tested understood the word “upset” as “being happy.” Continue reading →